


Langsdorffia

by King_of_Spades



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M, Natsume is a magician, Other, Potions, Rei is a vampire, Strangers to Friends, can be read as platonic or romantic, mild blood warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:28:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29436072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/King_of_Spades/pseuds/King_of_Spades
Summary: Rei is a vampire- but he sees it more like a curse. He's shunned by humans, feared by them.He doesn't want to live like this anymore, and decides to find a way to make him more human. And that solution might just come in the form of an alchemist in the forest.
Relationships: Sakasaki Natsume & Sakuma Rei, Sakasaki Natsume/Sakuma Rei
Kudos: 3





	Langsdorffia

**Author's Note:**

> WOO... LONGEST FIC IVE WRITTEN HI  
> i worked very hard on this so please enjoy !!  
> also sorry if Rei's characterization is weird ive always had a difficult time writing him lmao ;;

This kind of world was not a safe one for him. Not a safe one to anyone like him- his kind. Even in this world where magic and incantations are spoken, where creatures beyond a human imagination can dream of, it seems that his kind wasnt one taken lightly.

Rei Sakuma knew this well, knew the various dangerous it was to be, what the public know them as, a _blood-drinker-_ or, a ‘vampire’, as the humans liked to call them. Rei wasnt very fond of the term, though.  
Sensitive to the hot day-light sun, feeding off the red liquid of living things- he could understand why people were scared. But it wasnt like those people even got to understand him.. His kind. They wouldnt dare feed off of another person, unless given permission or in a life-or-death situation. Animals could do them just fine, thank you very much.  
Despite this, though, he, his brother too, and many others like them were shunned.

And Rei Sakuma was at his wits end with it.

“Oh, my dear Rei! My dear, struggling, poor Rei~ fufu.. I must apologize, but my type of magic cannot help you with your request” Wataru, a dear and trusted friend of Rei’s, explained to him. The man was of magical abilities.. But, according to him, not what he was looking for. The blue haired man sat comfortably in a wooden seat across from Rei in his quaint home, table between them and drinks at their hands. On his shoulder perched a white dove- his familiar, as he had explained it before to him. Everyone with magic abilities has at least one.

“But youre an enchanter, are you not?” Rei said with a sigh, slumping a little bit in his own seat. Wataru was one of the few people that he could trust, one of the few that understood him. If Wataru couldnt help him, then what in the world was he supposed to do..? How in this land was he ever doing to find a way to turn he and his brother into something more human?

“Precisely! What youre looking for is, hm.. an alchemist, Rei. No normal swish of a magic finger can help you here, oh no no no! Perhaps what youre looking for is a concoction.. A substance, or, to put it simply, a potion~” he nodded defiantly, as if agreeing with his own sentence, as he sat back with his hands folded in his lap. Rei sat in silence as he thought- an alchemist? He had never crossed paths with someone of that title. Of course he’d heard about these types of witches though- they were powerful, more powerful than your average mage. And for that reason there werent too many of them, most hiding within the shadows of society- similar to himself, he supposed.

Rei’s red eyes glanced up to meet with Wataru’s lilacs, a determined look on the blood-drinkers face. “Where could I find one, then..? Do you know any alchemists, Wataru?” he had asked. It was a risky thing to go out of his way and meet with a stranger that was powerful and possibly could danger him- but a chance was a chance, wasnt it? And he would take every chance he got.

“Fufufu~.. It just so happens that I do~, you’ll have to forgive him, though. You see, he’s still a growing boy, so naturally he can be a little cold! I assure you that I can persuade him for this, my dear Rei” Wataru said with a sweet smile, hands gesturing theatrically as he spoke. Rei sighed- well, a bit of the cold shoulder was better than getting attacked.

Rei rested his elbow on the table, his head in his palm. “How long until I can contact this alchemist of yours..?” he said, biting back a yawn. The sun was soon to rise, and he was starting to feel a little tired. Ah, he wouldnt have to worry about that if he were a human.. Sure, it’d take a bit of effort to change his whole sleep schedule, but theres so much more to do during the daytime and not be staked out whenever he went outside, by the obvious give-away of needing to cover his body with special fabrics.

“In due time, Rei, in due time! He lives a little bit farther, in the forest you see.. But I will tell you as soon as I get my answer! Hm hm.. In fact..” Wataru hummed, suddenly jumping from his seat and getting a paper from Rei’d drawer, along with a pencil. Quickly, he wrote out a message and rolled it up, keeping it together with a small string as he handed the message to the bird on his shoulder.

“Jeanne, dearie~ would you be so kind to deliver this to Natsume-kun~?” he hummed to the animal, who seemed to understand him and coo’d in reply, not wasting a moment to flap its wings and take off after Wataru opened Rei’s window a bit. “I’m sure I’ll be hearing back from him quite soon..~”

Rei’s feelings were both a mix of terrified and relieved; he had a chance- or at least he hoped he would, but it was a dangerous and risky game he was playing. This could go horribly wrong in many ways..  
He shouldnt let fear control him from what he’d been looking for for so long, taking a deep sigh as he smiled up to his friend, fangs poking out from under his lips as he said a soft “thank you.”

-

Moons passed as Rei anxiously waited for his answer from the shadows, which came in the form of Wataru receiving a map with a short message on the back in behalf of Rei, who it was given to prompt once received.

The map was of a dense wooded forest, with a message on the back. Unexpectedly, he was also handed a small, golden ring- a slight bit tight for his finger, but manageable.

‘This ring allows the wearer to view the path drawn on the map to my cottage. Come alone, as soon as possible.’  
-was what all message on the back read. Rei’s red eyes scanned it over and over, despite understanding it the first time. Even if the time had felt slow waiting for such a message, it now felt so sudden when it was actually in his hands. Wataru seemed to notice this, tapping his shoulder and giving him a smile.

“Not to worry, my friend~ I promise, he is a boy you can trust! Of course, he is a little cautious when it comes to giving his locations.. Im sure you understand, yes? Hm, hm~ be sure to thank him once you arrive, and tell him that his most best friend Wataru Hibiki said hello~!” the blue haired boy said with a flourish of his own, putting Rei’s own mind back to ease, if only by a little. He returned it was a nod, thanking Wataru as well- if it werent for him, he wouldnt have this opportunity in the first place after all.

As Rei attempted to gather his things as discreetly as possible, it didnt seem to work as he heard the tired voice of his brother behind him-  
“Hey, Anija.. What are you doing?” he said in a sleepy voice, sitting up in his bed as he was woken up from him sleep.

After a little bit of silence, Rei turned to the younger with a calming smile,  
“Your Onii-chan is going to be away for a little while, Ritsu. I’m just goi-” as he began to explain, Ritsu’s agitated voice stopped his words from continuing,

“Going away? Ah, so you’re just going to leave me here all alone again, are you. Whatever, have fun then” Ritsu said dismissively, instantly laying back down and turning his back to his older brother. Rei frowned at him, a pang of guilt hurting his heart.

He put a hand on Ritsu’s shoulder, gentle despite his hand looking what people would describe as monstrous- his nails were black, long and sharp like claws, fingers slender and hand pale- it was nothing close to human-looking. Hopefully, that would change soon though.  
“I’m doing this for us, Ritsu.. Aren’t you tired of just hiding away in his hut of ours every day? Dark creatures like us aren’t meant to mingle with those of light, as you know. Your Onii-chan is so tired of creeping along the shadows like a criminal.. I’m going to change it for us” Rei said to him clearly, but Ritsu didnt move, laying down and staring at the wall in front of him with a sour face. Of course he felt the same, but..

After a bit of silence, Rei retracted himself and let Ritsu be, assuming there was nothing more he could say, and got back to packing his own things for the little journey. “There is fresh meat in the cellar, and bread in the cupboard to last you. If you happen to run out, however, I have left some money that you can give to Wataru, and he will buy you some more.” still not a response even after that, and now Rei assumed the boy had fallen asleep- but still, he continued.  
“I wont be gone long, Ritsu. And I promise I’ll fix this. I promise, I’ll cure us of this curse.. I’ll be back. I’ll see you again soon, Ritsu..” Rei finally said, a little more saddened than he had hoped to be- but that wont be for much longer. For Ritsu and himself, he’ll stay hopeful.

It was dark outside, just getting near the midnight hour as Rei stepped outside. His eyesight was more adaptable to the darkness than humans were, making it easier for him to navigate through. And, thankfully, their home was already placed near the edge of the forest, farther away from the town, so the likelihood of running into a person was low. He took a deep breath, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head just in case as he glanced down at the map in his hands, the ring he was given on his finger as instructed. Before, it just looked like a drawing of green forest, but now with the ring he could see the clear drawn path for him to follow. “Incredible..” he sighed to himself, enamoured by the intricacy of it all.

Rei looked up at the entrance of the lush green forest. The forest didnt scare Rei. The dense path of trees that people feared so much, Rei saw no need in being scared of. The animals in the forest, in a way, he could say he related to them. Creatures of night isolated from people who feared them..  
He shook his head from these sad thoughts, looking back down at the map, and following the drawn trail to lead him to his destination. His cure. His.. freedom.

The forest itself wasnt gigantic- sure, a little big, but not huge enough to take days to travel. However, it was a confusing one. Taking turns for what seemed like ages and seeing familiar rocks and trees that you could have sworn you already passed. It must be the work of that alchemist, to keep away unwanted people.. Maybe Rei should ask for a potion like that, too. The idea made him chuckle a little to himself.

The path seemed to become newer now, though. The grass seemed to become more even and cut, more flowers planted in patches and well kept, unlike wild flowers. An intoxicating scent suddenly filled Rei’s senses. It was sweet-smelling, like a fruit or a flower, and Rei felt like a bee attracted to honey as he followed after it, taking more steps along the path until what he was looking for had come into view.

The house was a little larger than a cottage, but smaller than a town house. It was a dark green color, assuming to blend in with the trees and lush greenery around. Large multicolored windows adorned one side of the place, the stained glass not showing any particular image- just hues of reds, yellows, and blues, illuminating beautifully under the moons light. More flower patches were planted as the house came closer. It wasnt just one type of flower in each patch, a mix of types and colors with each. Rei could recognize the roses, lilacs, and ferns, but there were a couple he didn’t know too. Rei enjoyed flowers, intricate things yet so simple too. He was personally fond of moon flowers.

His warm smile and calm feeling while viewing the flowers was quickly halted when he realized that he was now in front of the door to the magicians home, suddenly intimidated and filled with unnecessary dread. He folded the map, putting it deep into his pocket as he glanced down at the ring on his finger. He hadnt had a proper look at it until now- the gold was engraved with swirled patterns that revolved around one red jewel that was embedded into it, clear and shiny. Rei turned his hand over to see the other side of it, but instead of swirled patterns he found himself staring at the engraved letter N, flowy and free as if written in calligraphy. It amazed Rei how many details were on this one small ring. A part of him was hoping he could keep it after this was all finished.

After stalling his time by gawking at the ring, Rei hesitantly reached in front of him, hand taking hold on the cold metal knocker in the middle of the wooden door. He lifted it and struck it three times, a small echo resounding around him and in the home too. Taking his hand back, it felt like hours until he saw the door knob turning, although the reality was that it was probably just a minute- a couple seconds maybe even. Rei made sure that his hood was up, suddenly frantic to make himself look somewhat presentable and normal- or perhaps maybe to protect himself if this was, indeed the wrong place.

“Hm. Good morniNG~ you must be Rei, is that rigHT?” a melodious voice said on the other side even before the door had opened all the way. A golden eye peeked out from the other side, scanning him up and down. Thin fingers held around the door, decorated with various rings, all of which seemed to have some type of significance, though Rei didnt know what that could be.

Well, there was no use in trying to retreat now- he had said his name, so it must be alright, right? At least that confirms he has the right guy- but to be fair, how many other alchemist magicians have a home out in the forest?  
“..Indeed, so I assume that youre the alchemist my friend Wataru contacted?” Rei said, and at that comment the door opened more to see the magicians face.

He had red hair, vibrant like cranberries, that swept a little bit into his face. It was pretty short, apart from one longer strand on one side of his head, which was a streak of white similar to snow. Small ears were decorated by piercings and chains, neck the same fashion with necklaces and chokers. This boy liked his jewelery, didnt he?

The accessories werent the only eye-catching thing on the boy. His clothes, too, were silky and flowing, almost sparkling as if there was an aura around it. The color reminded Rei of a galaxy- deep purples, blues, blacks, all colliding with the addition of white pinpricks that resembled looking up at the milkyway. Golden tassels adorned the clothes, soft looking and swaying each time the magician even made the slightest movement. Rei’s dark cloak covering his body was a pale comparison to the alchemists attire.

He smiled at Rei, a mischievous type of smile that felt like it held thousands of secrets behind his lips. His gold eyes, too, had a playful shine to them. It was like he was plotting something, but not something devious- maybe something like a prank.  
“weLL, wont you come in, theN? I’ve been waiting a long time, and i cant get started without yOU” he explained, then quickly added on, “and you can call me by Natsume.”

“Of course, my apologies- Natsume-kun.” Rei said for keeping him waiting, shoes tapping against the wood flor as he stepped in, hesitantly taking his hood down from his head and closing the door behind him silently. It was much warmer inside than out, which Rei was thankful for. He hadnt noticed the goosebumps on his skin from the cold forest air until now.  
As the blood-drinker untied his boots and put them neatly against the door, he spoke out,  
“You see, that forest is quite the confusing one. I felt as if I were going in circles for hours.. Is that perhaps your work, or has the forest always been so troubling?” he said, partly out of curiosity, and partly to fill the silent air.

Natume seemed to hum at that, eyebrows raising a little bit. “hmhM~ you catch on quite quick, dont yOU? That’s right, I purposefully cast a mist around the area to confuse those who travel into the woOD. I hate unwanted guests, you seE. Surely you understand, dont yOU~?” he nodded his head. It was a little rare that, in the few times he would allow strangers his help- such as now- they would notice that minor detail about the forest. Rei has a keen eye, and Natsume was sure to make a mental note of that.

“I see..” Rei said as he was gestured by Natsume to follow him, obliging with the request and walking behind him through the place. The walls were a grey-ish color, candle lamps in lines illuminating the halls and rooms that he could glance into. The place looked a lot smaller on the outside, but there were actually quite a lot of rooms and corridors in the house. Perhaps more work of magic?

He got a little distracted glancing around the place that he wasnt even focusing what room Natsume had led him into until he noticed the array of colorful light on the ground. It was the stained glass window Rei saw from the outside, the moon’s light making the room colorful. The light bounced off of various glass tubes and bottles, and alchemist instruments that Rei couldnt even begin to guess what they did. Some of the glasses had liquids in them of different colors, some with a type of gas, enclosed with a cap. Papers were stream about the tables, a couple on the floor too, as well as a pretty thick book in an old language Rei couldnt decipher.

Rei quickly noticed how old of the tables had something out of place on it- a cat. Two cats, actually. One of them was big and fluffy with dark grey-blue fur, curled up comfortably on top of a small stack of papers. The other feline was a little bit smaller than the first, and its fur was a pretty golden color. This one seemed to be trying to get the bigger cat to play with it, but to no avail. Were these Nastume’s familiars, perhaps?

“I do hope youre not allergic to caTS” Natsume said as he noticed Rei looking at the felines, making the other blink his eyes and direct his attention back to the magician, shaking his head. “No, no. they are fine. Are they.. Your familiars?” Rei asked hesitantly. Natsume’s smile seemed to grow a little bit, signature playful chuckle leaving his lips. “That’s right, I’m once again impressed, I can sAY.” he nodded, and Rei felt a strange sense of pride by that comment. It seems Wataru had taught him about the little world of magic well, even if just a small portion.

Natsume moved his wrist in a graceful twist, and a chair was being pulled up behind Rei, encouraging him to sit down. It was a comfortable seat, with a cushion to sit on and arms at the sides to rest easier. “Ah.. Natsume-kun, youre an alchemist, are you not? That little trick of yours wasnt a type of alchemy, i suppose? If so..” Rei trailed off. He’d seen Wataru do similar things- move objects and such with a movement of his finger or hand.

Natsume chuckled as he collected a couple of things- vials and bottles, small jars of substances that Rei couldnt recognize- setting them on the table close to him. “Everyone with at least a little magic in their genes can learn such an easy triCK. Its practically the first thing youre supposed to know as a chiLD” he explained, setting up his work space- though Rei wasnt very clear on what he was planning to do.

“How intriguing.. You must be quite a smart one. Ive heard alchemy is the toughest form of magic, yes?” Rei continued, genuinely impressed by it. Natsume nodded at the comment, but seemed to not want to elaborate further. Oioi, that hurt Rei’s feelings a little.. At least humor this old man with a little conversation, wont you?

His carefree thoughts about idle conversation was quickly halted as he watched Natsume pull out a- knife?  
Rei tensed up, red eyes looking back and forth from the dagger to the redhead. Natsume laughed a little again, his mischievous and playful laugh.

“Whoops, whooPS~ my baD. It seems I forgot to mention I’ll need a small blood smaple from you, thats alL. And dont fear, this is made from steel, not silvER~” Natsume winked, which made Rei huff a little.  
“You know thats a silly myth, dont you? Sly boy~.. Well, go on then, I suppose” Rei smiled back at him, a little calmer at the reassurance. So thats what Natsume meant when he said he couldnt ‘get started without him’, is it?

Rei extended his left hand towards Natsume, palm face up. The magician gently held it into place, skin softer than it looked, as well as the slight cold feeling of his rings. Could Rei really be complaining, though? He hands were always cold, after all.  
It was a small pain as the point of the blade drew his blood, but nothing unbearable- like if a pinprick was just a little more painful.  
Natsume was quick to collect the blood into a small empty jar, capping it and setting it off to the side once satisfied. It was a slightly darker color than that of a humans or an animals, like a burgundy color, as opposed to the cherry-red of other living things.

“There we arE~ that’s the only time I’ll need something of that nature from you, I promiSE~” Natsume said, and maybe it was just Rei, but his mischievous smile spoke a different story- or maybe thats just how Natsume naturally was. One who seemed always cunning. Rei wondered what type of face he made when he lied and when he spoke the truth, because it always seemed to be the same-

A warm cloth was wrapped around his plam, not too tight, but snug enough around his hand to feel comfortable. Rei thanked Natsume, who only seemed to glance up at him when he said that. Looks like someone doesnt take gratitude very well..  
“Oioi.. dont ignore this old man, you should respect your elders~” Rei teased. He always made jokes about being an old man, although he was pretty sure he wasnt too far in age compared to Natsume either. It didnt matter if you were younger, the same age, or older than Rei- he’ll tease himself about being an old man no matter the situation.

Natsume let out another chuckle at this, shaking his head a little. “And what if i donT~?” he teased back quickly, tongue sharp and witty. Rei could start to understand that he was slowly seeing more of the real Natsume- that kind little welcome when he first arrived- that was just him being polity, wasnt it?  
Not that Rei even mattered for manners- he found it much more fun to talk to someone like this anyways.

The color’s shining through the stained glass seemed to bright up more, and Rei realized that it was turning daytime. As if on queue, he let out a long and drawn-out yawn, covering his mouth his his hand as he did. That trek through the woods did take more out of him than he thought, he realized quickly, as a tired feeling overwhelmed him.  
“Ah, righT- ive prepared a guest room for you to sleep iN. I already knew this wasnt just going to be a quick in-and-out deal of ours, so i’ve already went ahead and made necessary arrangemeNTS~ its the third door down in the hallway, on the left siDE” Natsume said as he noticed the other yawn, Rei seeming surprised to hear this.

Rei smiled softly, humming a “well, why thank you, Natsume-kun~” as he stood up from the seat. As interested as he was to watch the intricate magic unfold, he was tired (well, he usually was, but more-so at this moment..), and the room was growing brighter with sunlight by the second, even if it was in the form of colorful specks of light from the beautiful stained glass window.  
The redhead watched as Rei left the room promptly, not blaming him for wanting to get out quickly, what with the bright light seeping through the window. Maybe it was a little rude of him to have his equipment in here, but this had always been his room for experiments and incantations, and he wasnt planning on changing that and moving all of his things. He appreciated Rei’s understanding, though.

The room was a good size, and plenty dark. There werent any windows, and the lantern that rested on the wooden desk in the corner of the room was out. The bed was large, blanket soft to the touch and a white color, with firm pillows to match. The mattress itself felt like if had been used once or twice before, but Rei liked that batter, so it wasnt too hard that it would feel uncomfortable. It was soft, warm. Rei, for once in a long while felt like he could sleep safely and at peace. Back at home, of course, there was always that fear- what if someone just barged in, threatening them with rude words about them being disgusting monsters, infiltrated their home and took their things- it was a scary thought.  
But- he didnt have to have those thoughts now. For tonight, he could drift to sleep with a smile on his face and mind at ease.

-

The internal clock in Rei’s mind stirred him back awake, a moment of panic coursing through him when he realized that the room he was in was unfamiliar, until his mind woke him more and he remembered where he was- he was in the room of a house owned by a powerful wizard- a wizard named Natsume. The one who was helping him. A smile crept on his face and he felt calm once more, slowly sitting up and carefully standing on the ground. He ran a hand through his long black hair, nails working like a comb to get it less messy and out of tangles. He took his time making the bed back- like another way to say thank you to the alchemist for it, pulling the blanket up and smoothening it out until it looked like no one had even been in here.

With no type of window in the room, Rei wasn’t clear on what time it was, but he assumed that the moon was just rising- a good morning for him and a good night to a human.  
Opening the door silently, his suspicions seemed to be correct as the light shining in from the windows in the other rooms wasnt as blindingly light as the daytime, pale white of the moons light illuminating floors and walls rather than a bright yellow glare.

“Oh, Rei, good morniNG~ i hope you slept well, yeS?” Rei heard from beside him, unexpectedly seeing Natsume coming from the same room he had left him in before. Had the boy been in that room the whole time?  
“Natsume-kun, good morning- although, would it not be a ‘good night’ to you?” Rei wondered curiously- surely the boy was planning on going to sleep soon, right?

Natsume let out a chuckle at this, then a sigh. “Who says some humans cannot be nocturnal tOO?” he chided back, a comment that amused Rei- a thought like that never really occurred to him. Was it common for some humans to find themselves awake during the night more?

“I see.. Did you sleep during the day as well too, then?” Rei wondered- the tired look on Natsume’s face spoke otherwise, but the boy must be smarter than that, right? Alchemists are some of the smartest and more quick-witted people he’s heard, so surely-

“ahahA~.. Sleep can come at a later time, getting the work done is more importANT. You want results as soon as possible, do you noT?” Natsume said back with a tired chuckle, crossing his arms as he shook his head as if he were chastising a child.

Rei sighed, frowning. He couldnt exactly tell him, ‘hey, you should sleep, the human body can get very weak without it-’ but he didnt exactly have a right to be saying anything like that to the one doing a favor to him- multiple favors, really. So he just gave him a sharp look of disappointment. “Well- I do hope you sleep deeply after my situation is over with, then.. Speaking of which, how is it coming along, Natsume-kun?”

Natsume gestured for Rei to follow him back into the room, like he wanted to show him something, and the vampire was presented with a new sight of potted plants on one of the tables that he was sure wasnt there before.

The flowers were all the same- a striking red color with sharp petals. One of them seemed to be wilting on one of its sides, another one with a strange smoke emitting from it.

“LangsdorfFIA” Natsume said, and Rei turned to him.  
“Ah- bless you?” he said, and Natsume laughed.

“No, nO~ thats the name of this flowER. However, you may be familiar with their more common naME- ‘vampire planTS’.” the redhead explained, waving a hand over this pots like he was presenting a new product. Rei couldnt help but roll his eyes- what a stupid name for a plant..

“Im not very fond of person or animal experimentatiON. Plants make quite a wonderful substitute, and this particular plant is very unlike other planTS. You see.. This plant doesnt photosynthesize like most wouLD. Instead, theyre parasitic, and rely solely on hosts that they find in the ground with their rooTS. Fascinating, is it nOT?” he continued, carefully putting on a glove before reaching over to the beaker with a dark-colored liquid inside it. “I wanted to use these to see if the elixER- meant for yOU- could perhaps reverse the plants parasitic-natsure, and make it more similar to a regular plaNT. fufU~ this isnt to say you’d become a person who can photosynthesize, thouGH. But wouldnt that be funnY..~? hmhM..”

Natsume poured a drop on one of the other ‘vampire plants’ that hadnt seemed to be affected. A drop fell onto its bright red petal, and it seemed to instantly be absorbed into it.  
“You are very knowledgeable about plants.. Its impressive- admirable to have such broad knowledge on a lot of different things” Rei mindlessly mentioned to fill the air as he watched the experiment take place.

Natsume seemed to blush from embarrassment at the compliment- ah, right. This boy didnt take gratitude that well, did he? It made Rei chuckle, though he tried to hide it with a cough into his fist. Funny boy, acting so smart and tough, but so easily flustered at a compliment?

Natsume didnt reply to it, continuing on like Rei hadnt said such a thing.  
“Ive been adding some different things as i went alonG.. Because as you can see, some of the results werent quite what i was looking fOR. Preferably i’d like it to be painless for you upon consumptiON. I seem to be moving in the right directiON..~” he said proudly, eyes still focused on the plant. The petal’s color seemed to dull, the bright blood red slowly turning into a muted, grey-ish red. Was that.. Good? Rei- preferable- would also like it to be painless for himself. Himself and Ritsu.

Natsume muttered to himself and wrote down his observations into a small book Rei noticed. He read the past entires-  
1: petals wilted upon contact with elixir, but only on area where elixir touchED. rest of surface area unharmED.  
2: addition of Austras Koks roots and saroniDE. burned on impact, emitting dark smoke which smells like burning bloOD. however, no longer wiltiNG.  
3: addition of holly leaves, rose petals, and buckthorn berriES. leaves turned dark color on contact, but the plant is still alivE. 

Rei took notice of the interesting writing style Natsume used, and in a way he could draw similarities between it and the way the other spoke, too. A small list was written off to the side, listing a number of plants and chemicals, most of them crossed off, but a couple were circled, assuming those were the ones that worked out well with it. His handwriting was a little bit messy and sharp, writing with a purpose and a mission. He didnt have time to make the words look good or fix small spelling errors.

“Oh, rigHT. If you wish, please help yourself to breakfast from my kitchEN.” Natsume mentioned as he remembered Rei was with him now- he must have been so absorbed in his work, it was interesting to see.  
“Thank you Natsume-kun.. But its quite fascinating watching you work. I think I’ll stay right here~” Rei smiled as he rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward comfortably and resting his head in one of his hands. Natsume looked at him, like he was trying to give him a glare, but it looked more like he appreciated the others words deeply- just didnt want to say that.

Rei didnt understand what Natsume was doing with the plant, but whatever it was, he seemed confident in it. He was taking out small portions of the dirt from the pot, like trying to dig the plant up- and really it made quite a mess. He didnt understand the meaning behind the action until he focused on what Natsume was observing.

The plants roots, which were thick and tangled, were a dark- almost black-brown color. Natsume smiled, humming proudly to himself, before setting it down and carefully cutting one of the roots with a small knife.

“Ah, this is wonderfUL..” he sang to himself, and Rei felt like he was out of the loop.  
“Have you made a discovery, Natsume-kun?” Rei asked like a confused child, leaning to glance at what he was doing and get a better look.  
Natsume smiled, showing him the plants roots. “Recall what i said about this plant using its roots to capture hosTS? Well, it appears like theyve turned into normal roots, that of any regular plaNT. The roots are normally a light brown coloR- but this has changed its roots completeLY~” 

“Does that mean that its ready, then?” Rei spoke eagerly. He could already imagine it- mingling with the people outside in the bright sunshine, no more humans being scared of him, no more needed to seclude him and Ritsu away from other life-

“oh, gods nO.” Natsume laughed, making Rei slump in his seat out of disappointment. “i still need to test how it affects light sensitivity, among other thiNGS.. But, as you can see, its nighttime nOW. You dont mind staying a little longer, now do yoU?” the magician gestured to the stain glass window, the outside dark spade for the light from the moon. Rei sighed, he hadnt been planning on staying this long- not only did he feel like he was overstaying his welcome, but he worried for Ritsu as well. That boy better be staying safe..

“Alright, i suppose so.. But, if thats all we must wait for, i think it would be in your best interest to sleep for now. Even this old man knows you cant just ignore sleep, Natsume-kun~” Natsume rolled his eyes at Rei’s words, shaking his head.

“stop calling yourself an old man, its stranGE. last i heard you and i arent all that different in aGE, even if you are paler than a grandfathER~” he teased him, and Rei couldnt help but chuckle too.

Rei patted Natsume and stood up, like a silently encouragement for Natsume to stand as well, and the magician found himself doing just that. “Well if i look like a grandfather, i might as well act like one too. So you should listen to your elders, dear Natsume-kun~” the vampire cooed, patting the magicians head- who swatted his hand away with an annoyed expression. Rei expected him to do that, which made it all the more amusing when he did just as he thought.

Natsume huffed, and seemed to finally give in. “fine, finE.. Its bad news to work on sleep depravity anywaYS. Of course i was planning on iT” he said as he crossed him arms- what a bad liar he was. Rei laughed, earning another glare before Natsume looked back at his work desk, sure to make sure everything was i place before leaving the room, Rei striding behind him.

The room Natsume went into was larger than the guest room Rei slept in before, glowing with beautiful colors that made it look like he was stepping into a universe thats been compacted into one room. Tapestries hung around the walls, a bookshelf gave home to thick old looking books in more language Rei couldnt read. The two cats Rei saw before were laying on the large bed, which had a dark blue blanket with white patterns and mandalas. It was exactly the type of room you would expect, but it still entranced Rei. Fitting for a magician- it was magical.

“I do have to apologize, i must be keeping you here longer than you wantED” Natsume said as he turned to him, holding his room door and halfway inside already. “We just want to be sure its perfect, rigHT~?”

Rei nodded. “Please, no need to apologize. I appreciate it a lot. Fufu.. i think the thing i appreciate most, is.. Well, besides Wataru, no other human has spoken with me so casually. Thank you for that as well, Natsume-kun” he said earnestly, and Natsume was quiet for a moment as he took in the words.

“Well, its stupid to ignore someone just cause theyre not the same as yourseLF. A lot of people are stupID. Honestly, i dont think you need this potion, Rei. Youre obviously a nice persON. You shouldnt hold yourself back from trying to make the best of your situatiON. Ah, but still, i will make it for yoU. I have no say in what you should or shouldnt do, im just giving my opiniON~” Natsume told him. The words left Rei speechless, only giving Natsume a nod to show that he understood. The magician smiled and closed his room door, disappearing into the magical room.

Rei stood there as he thought about what Natsume said again- make the best of his situation. How would he even go about doing that..? Is that even possible for someone like him?  
He quickly dismissed the idea. That was impossible. Monsters and humans should never intermingle- impossible.

As Rei found his way to Natsume’s kitchen and looked through his cupboards and cellar, he still contemplated it. Even though he first dismissed it, it seemed like he couldnt shake the idea off. He could speak with Wataru like a friend, see him on a pretty regular basis- and Natsume, too, seemed just fine with him. Was the magician really right?  
He found a cold cut of meat from Natsume’s cellar, thanking him internally for annoying him to eat from his food.

Rei sparked the stove with a fire beneath it, putting the food into a pan and letting it cook over the flame, sizzling loudly as the outside cooked. Rei always made sure he had meat to eat, because they usually had enough blood when cooked to last him for the day- it was similar to how a human needs water, he would say. He just usually got a lovely meal to go along with it.

.. maybe Natsume was right. Maybe.. Could Wataru tell the townspeople there was nothing to fear from him? He was a well liked person in the town, as far as Rei knew. They would trust him, right? That seemed like the logical solution- but what if that targeted Wataru too? Ah, thats the lest thing he would want.

Rei sighed as he plated the cooked meat and sprinkled it with seasonings he found in Natsume’s cupboard, knife and fork found in a drawer.

Maybe this truly was unnecessary- Ritsu will surely be mad at him if he comes back empty handed. ‘You abandoned me, all alone here just for nothing? You useless brother.’ he could already hear his words in his head.  
Ritsu was a good brother. He was funny, even if he teased you a lot. If they werent cursed to be these stupid beings, Rei’s sure Ritsu would have had a lot of friends.

Maybe Natsume was right.

-

A little bit before the sun was made to rise, Rei heard Natsume’s door open with a creak. Before the magician could go back into his work room, and continue with the making of the potion, Rei came up behind him and but a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

“hM~? Ah, good morniNG” Natsume said with a smile as he turned to the vampire.

“I hope you slept well, Natsume-kun. But, ive been thinking about what you had said,” Rei started, and Natsume looked at him with intrigue. “I think that youre right.. Maybe i dont need this. Ive always seen this part of me as a curse, but, it is undoubtedly something that makes me myself..~ i would never dare to harm a person, and i want others to realize that, of course. So, i think i will do as you said.. And ‘take advantage of my situation’. I want it to change~” Rei said, hand still on Natsume’s shoulder.

The magician smiled at him. “Its a much better solution than hiding away, if you ask mE~ glad to have helped you come to that conclus..” Natsume started, but suddenly cut off when Rei.. hugged him?  
The vampires arms wrapped around him, pulling him close, like he’d never hugged someone else before.

“Thank you for helping me, Natsume-kun. This is better than any potion you could have made for me~.. Do you think, even after i depart now, could i visit you again from time to time?” he asked, then peeled himself away from the hug, seeing Natsume’s stunned face. “Fufu.. sorry, im a bit of a hugger~ get used to it, my friend~”

Natsume crossed his arms and let out an airly laugh, face contorting like he was trying not to grin. “Well, if you so wish to, i dont think i would mind iT.. Youre much friendlier than other clients ive had, thats for sure, hmhM~ and if you so wish to call me a ‘friend’, well, then so be iT”

Rei smiled again. Natsume was similar to him, he realized. A magician with powers that most people feared, so he reclused himself in these woods.. Perhaps the boy should take his own advice for once, too. Natsume really also wanted a friend too, didnt he?  
“Thank you again, Natsume-kun. I think you and my younger brother would be wonderful friends, too~”

“hmhM~ do you thinK? Is he as annoying as you are, parhaPS?” Natsume teased him, the soft laugh from his throat making it obvious to not take the words seriously.

“Oh my, sooo~ annoying. You wont last a second, im sure, fufu~” Rei continued along, and it made them laugh more.

The early morning birds began to chirp, and Rei knew he wouldnt have a lot more time to get back.  
“I should head home soon, shouldnt i?” he said, partly speaking to himself.

“I do think that would be in your best interest, yES” Natsume spoke with a tone that said ‘good job figuring that out, captain obvious’. Rei gave him a little glare.

“We will meet again, then, wont we?” the vampire said, almost sounding eager, hoping for the best response.

Natsume gave him another smile. That same sly-looking smile that Rei got to see the first time the magician had opened his door to him, but it felt warmer now. Friendlier.

“Of courSE”


End file.
